


The Things That Stay

by Siberian



Series: A Very Sterek Summer 2020 [4]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: (mild), A Very Sterek Summer Fest 2020, Angst, Established Relationship, Grief/Mourning, M/M, Romance, Spoilers, When in Doubt-Contact Author for Full List of Warnings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-14
Updated: 2021-03-03
Packaged: 2021-03-16 20:21:55
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 14,440
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29459709
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Siberian/pseuds/Siberian
Summary: An invitation is given to a party. Yet, it doesn't sit well. Seeing as how he can't get out of it, he'll just have to deal. It's just the closer it gets, the more he wishes it was over with already.
Relationships: Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski
Series: A Very Sterek Summer 2020 [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2037619
Comments: 8
Kudos: 24





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Written for “A Very Sterek Summer - Day 3: We Like To Party” on Tumblr
> 
> This contains some spoilers. They are mild but might give something away. The biggest one though, is Stiles' real name. If you don't know it yet, you might not be happy. I found it out by accident when watching the series and I was pretty angry. I'd advise not reading this until you've seen all of the seasons. There is an implication that Scott is with Kira in this story. I didn't post it as a pairing because it's extremely vague. The warnings on this one are pretty light. There is some knotting as well as emotional distress. I've also touched on the loss of Stiles' Mom and somewhat on Derek's family. It got a little heavier than planned, so be foreward if you're going through a similar loss.
> 
> Come join me on [Tumblr](https://siberianthewriter.tumblr.com)

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The pack liked to party. This was something he’d learned early on. It was an annoyance but one that wasn’t that surprising. The majority of them where teenagers, so it made sense despite how frivolous he found it. For the most part, he avoided any and all of these events. He managed fairly well with his maneuvering. At least he did, in the past, before he started dating Stiles. Now it was unavoidable. Unless he was gravely injured, his boyfriend wanted him to at least make an appearance. This exception had only happened once. It was enough for him to recklessly invite injury. Unsurprisingly, his Uncle had offered to help him out. The offer, although tempting, was declined. As much as he hated parties, he wasn’t about to give Peter the satisfaction of beating him to a pulp.  
  
So he went. To every single party that Stiles drug him to. It always went the same way. He’d be dressed by Stiles only for it to be vetoed by Lydia. Why he couldn’t dress himself was simple. ’All you wear is black, white and gray clothes. You need to wear something nice.’ That was always the reasoning. He’d tried at first to defend his choices. There were some leather jackets in his closet that were good quality. The shirts he wore were stylish and he had a few jeans with no holes in them. A few items hadn’t even gotten blood stains on them. Instead of winning his argument, all he’d gotten was a look and two separate shopping trips. One with Stiles then one with Lydia who insisted Stiles shouldn’t be dressing anyone.  
  
So now he didn’t even try. If shopping was the fallout, he felt it was safer to just go along with it. After he was dressed, one of them would drive them to the party. Normally it was Stiles. Considering he knew the people hosting it and the address it only made sense. Once they arrived, he’d be guided around to commence with all of the introductions. It would close with some form of alcohol being handed to him in a cup. The cup was different colors but typically was plastic. At that point, Stiles would let him escape, to a point. He’d find the darkest, least occupied corner in the room before standing there most of the night.  
  
On occasion Stiles would return to his side, pulling him back into the throng of people for a dance. Although he really didn’t dance, he’d put in enough effort to sort of half bounce very slowly in place. It was enough for Stiles, especially since he danced the way he walked. It pretty much put everyone at risk to lose an eye. At the same time, he couldn’t deny the slight flailing was charming. This was how it always went. It didn’t matter the party, the people, the holiday or the season. Amid different decorations, changing music and themed hors d'oeuvres he could be found in his corner. Nothing ever changed. At least that was, until now.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
For long seconds, all he could do was blink. The look on his face had to be incredulous. Instead of rushing him for a response, Derek simply stood across from him still as a statue. Finally he managed to spit out some words. “You want to go to a party. You… _you_ want to go…to a party?” Even as he said it the words sounded less believable. Without missing a beat, his boyfriend responded in a succinct manner. “Yes. It’s on the 28th of next month. Don’t make any plans.” The abrupt “invitation” had him frowning. “What if I have plans already?” Surprisingly the question had Derek looking a little concerned. “Do you?” He didn’t even have to think about the answer. “No but I could.”  
  
Apparently satisfied with this turn of events, Derek nodded before turning to go to the kitchen. “Well now you do.” Feeling a little annoyed, he followed briskly. “You know you could ask if I even wanted to go. So I don’t have plans, so what? Maybe I’m just not interested.” He leaned against the island on both hands, watching his boyfriend retrieve a bottle of water from the cabinet before turning to lean back against the counter. “You mean the way you ask me?” The wind was completely knocked out of his sails. That didn’t mean he wasn’t going down without a fight. “That’s different. You’re my boyfriend. We’re supposed to go to social events together and most of the parties are thrown by the pack. When we started dating you knew you’d need to make an appearance.”  
  
As he spoke the weaker his argument had become. From Derek’s steadily raising eyebrow it was obvious. Finally he gave up with a slight huff of breath. “Okay fine. I guess it’s not different.” His acquiesce got him a satisfied nod. Now that he’d begrudgingly accepted the pseudo invitation, he felt his curiosity peaked. “So where are we going?” There was a pause long enough for the other man to take a long swallow of water. “To a party.” At the answer, he sent Derek an unimpressed look. “Yeah, I got that. Who’s hosting it? Is it for a certain event? We’re smack dab in July, except for the 4th which has already passed, there aren’t any federal holidays coming up. Is it someone’s birthday?” He didn’t think that was the case. Unless he was mistaken, no one was due for a party anytime soon.  
  
“No, it’s no one’s birthday.” When no other explanation was forthcoming, he prompted more with a motion of his hand. It wasn’t effective. Apparently either Derek was being stubborn or was being a blatant tease. “So what is it for?” He stood fully upright when his boyfriend moved closer. A soft kiss was placed on his temple before Derek spoke nonchalantly. “It’s only a party.” That was all he said before moving into the main area of the loft. With a frustrated huff of breath he followed. “So you keep saying.” The retreat into the living room ended with Derek settling on the couch. He threw himself next to him with enough force to bounce. It had the other man looking his way with irritation. They’d only just purchased the couch a few months ago and he’d known that would get a reaction.  
  
Now that he had Derek’s attention, he narrowed his eyes slightly while fixing him with an analyzing gaze. “Why are you being so secretive?” The expression on Derek’s face changed to one of complete innocence. He wasn’t buying it. “I’m not.” Instead of trying to further defend his case, his boyfriend plucked up the remote. “Did you want to watch a movie? The original ‘Clash of the Titans’ is playing on TCM.” By way of distractions it was sloppy. That didn’t mean it wasn’t effective. “Well played, Sourwolf. Well played.” The comment earned him an eye roll, followed up with a tiny amused grin. Instead of calling Derek on his obvious non-annoyance, he instead settled into to enjoy the one of Ray Harryhausen’s masterpieces.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
It had been a week since Derek had mentioned the elusive party. In all of that time, he hadn’t managed to get any more information. The lack of details made him suspicious. It’s just that a party for him in particular didn’t make any sense. There was nothing that would warrant it and Derek wasn’t the type of guy to throw a party for no reason. What was even more frustrating was that his normal methods of gleaning information weren’t working. “So what’s it for?” The question produced a deep put upon sigh. “I already told you, dude. I don’t know any more than you do.” He hit pause on his PlayStation controller, effectively stopping both of their game play before looking in Scott’s direction. They were currently at the loft, sitting cross-legged on the hardwood floor.  
  
“That doesn’t make any sense. How could you not know something?” The look on Scott’s face was frustrated. They’d had this conversation a few times already. He wasn’t just being stubborn. It was a well known tactic in law enforcement interrogations. If you asked the same questions enough, you could catch someone in a lie. Although he didn’t think it was malicious, he did wonder if Scott was lying to spring some surprise on him at this supposed party. Honestly, at this rate he wasn’t even sure if a party was actually happening. “Oh, I don’t know, maybe because Derek didn’t tell me.” In the brief pause that followed, Scott sat up a little straighter as though he truly wanted to divulge information. “Look, all I know is the date. That’s it. I don’t know anything else.”  
  
When his best friend looked a little lost, he gave up on grilling him further with a sigh. It was blatantly obvious that Scott really didn’t know anything. “This doesn’t make any sense. Why would Derek invite the pack to a party? I mean…does he even know anyone else?” Even as he thought on that, his best friend spoke in a considering tone. “Why don’t you just ask him?” That earned Scott a huff of breath. “You don’t think I’ve tried? He’s being unusually stealthy in what he says to me. It’s really starting to get on my nerves.” The comment was only partially true. It was sort of exciting honestly when Derek kept him on his toes. A bump to his shoulder brought him out of his thoughts.  
  
“Whatever it is, I’m guessing Derek’s trying to surprise you. Don’t ruin his fun by figuring it out.” When he thought of it that way, he felt a little bit of guilt creep in. There was a good possibility that a party wasn’t the surprise. That didn’t mean that Derek wasn’t up to something. If he kept pushing, he might just discover what it is and the thought of disappointing his boyfriend was sobering. With a tiny smile, he nodded easily. “I guess you’re right.” The accepting words earned him a bright smile. They went back to their game. A few minutes later they hit a cutscene. It was one both of them had seen before. This particular game had always been a mutual favorite. “What did he say when he invited you?”  
  
The groan that sounded was long suffering. “Stiles.” He supposed he couldn’t blame Scott for his reaction since the subject was supposedly dropped. “I’m not trying to figure it out anymore, promise. I just can’t help being curious.” With that he looked in the other man’s direction. The expression on Scott’s face said that he wasn’t sure if he believed that. That was fair. “A few weeks ago…” He quickly cut off the words with a wave. “Wait. What do you mean a few _weeks_ ago?” It was apparent that Scott found the question confusing. “What do you mean what do I mean? A few weeks ago, Derek stopped by my apartment. He told me to not make any plans for the 28th because the pack was having a party. I thought at first that it would be at Lydia’s and she’d somehow roped Derek into delivering the message. It was only when I sent her a text that night, asking for details, that I found out that wasn’t the case.”  
  
The new information had his mind reeling. When he only continued to sit there in silence, Scott prompted him curiously. “What is it? Why is when he asked me so important?” Although he still felt out of sorts, the question got him on track enough to answer. “He asked you to the party before he even mentioned to me.” There was a stilted silence then as he thought on the implications. Eventually, Scott spoke up in a cautious tone. “Why is that so important?” As though realizing what he’d actually said, the other man continued in bit of a stumble. “I mean, I do get why that would be weird. You are his boyfriend. It’s just we both know it doesn’t mean anything, him talking to me first, so why is it so important?”  
  
When he answered, the muscles in his face were pulled a little tight with his consideration. “I don’t know.” All he did know was that it was. The thought fell away only for him to realize the cutscene had ended long ago. He could almost feel Scott’s relief when he picked up his controller. “Hey, what do you think about ordering a pizza later?” By that time, Derek should also be home. He’d run some errands to give them some uninterrupted Bro time. It was a sweet consideration that was fairly common. What was also common was his desire to show him some appreciation when they were eventually alone. “That sounds great.”  
  
They spent the next several minutes debating toppings, extra cheese and whether they should get wings. The conversation was enough to capture his attention, just not entirely. In the back of his mind, there was always a question. Why would Derek invite the pack first? He’d been the last one to be invited when he should have been the first. It didn’t make any sense. The question left him feeling unsettled. He knew it shouldn’t but it did. Why had he been last? What could that mean? The more he thought about it the less he wanted to know.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
What had started as a pack meeting had quickly dissolved into an impromptu visit. They had spent the better part of the night talking. It had been a loud boisterous affair, complete with take out and enough alcohol to put a frat house to shame. The fact that very few of them could get drunk didn’t seem to matter. This had happened at the loft which meant that Derek couldn’t escape. As the night wore on, he’d kept expecting his boyfriend to reach a breaking point. When the last of the pack left, on their own unprompted volition, he’d been very surprised. He’d been sure that Derek was going to kick them out at some point. Although it was late, they’d cleaned up enough to not drive him crazy. That was one of the disadvantages of a loft. If someone left a mess, he’d couldn’t just close a door and ignore it until the morning.  
  
When it was clear he was feeling dead on his feet, the other man had shooed him into the bathroom to get ready for bed. It was only the promise that his boyfriend would finish up that convinced him to take the offered escape. When he crawled into bed, Derek took his turn in the bathroom. In the interim he dozed, aware that his lover wasn’t at his side. The sound of Derek reentering the room was easily tracked with his hearing. It allowed him to anticipate the bed dipping down at his back. He smiled when a pair of arms slid around his waist. A slight jostle to the bed a moment later, had the two of them pressed together comfortably. The kiss that landed on his neck had him smiling again with affection. He lifted a hand to slide it down Derek’s forearm. “That was an interesting pack meeting.”  
  
Although he couldn’t see it, he could feel the eye roll that followed. “That wasn’t a pack meeting. We talked about the territory for half an hour. It was just an excuse to drink.” Feeling a fair amount of humor, a small chuckle bubbled out of his throat. “At our age, we don’t need an excuse.” The grumble that followed was noncommittal. A few seconds later it was followed up with actual words that sounded slightly amused. “The pack does like to party.” That was all it took for his mood to plummet. He could have cursed when Derek noticed. The arm around him tightened comfortingly as he felt his boyfriend lean a little closer. “Stiles? Are you okay?” Although he knew he shouldn’t lie, he just wasn’t ready to get into it. “Yeah, I’m fine.”  
  
When the arm around him seemed to cradle him closer, it led him to believe that his mild deception hadn’t been successful. The fact that Derek was probably monitoring his heart had likely given him away. “Are you sure?” Not feeling up to trying to beat a living lie detector, he decided to try to be at least somewhat truthful. “Yeah, I’ve just…got something on my mind. I’m not really up to talking about it.” There was a new tension in the other man’s body. It strongly hinted of him falling into protective mode. He could tell right away that Derek wanted desperately to fix whatever was wrong. Instead of indulging those instincts though, his lover only gave him a gentle squeeze. “I’ll be here whenever you are ready.”  
  
The love in Derek’s voice, the reassurance in his touch had tears coming to his eyes. Immediately the body pressed against his tensed further. “Stiles?” At the worried question, he quickly turned around until they were face to face. The quick movement was followed up with him wrapping his arms around Derek’s waist and burying his face in the crook of the strong neck. When his tears came heavier, he took in a few deep breaths trying to calm down. “I’m fine.” Although the way the words shook said otherwise Derek was kind enough not to call him on it. Instead he was wrapped in a warm embrace. All it did was seem to increase his instability. Despite his efforts, tears started to silently slip down his face moments later. The grip on him tightened until he was pressed snuggly into his boyfriend’s chest.  
  
As much as he knew Derek wanted to say something, he didn’t. It was something he was grateful for, especially since he was only being ridiculous. For days now, ever since his visit with Scott, he’d been plagued by insecurity. The thought of being invited last wouldn’t leave him alone. He didn’t know what the mystery celebration was for, where it would be or if there would even _be_ a party. Yet it bothered him. There was a good chance that Derek was planning a surprise. That didn’t seem to matter. All he could thing about was he’d been last when he should have been first. It was so stupid. What did it matter when he was invited?  
  
They were together. After he’d graduated from high school, once he was single, Derek asked him out. That was almost three years ago. They’d been a couple ever since. The loft had become their home. Why did it matter that he was invited last to a party? It shouldn’t matter, it shouldn’t. Unfortunately, that didn’t stop it from hurting. He knew that was the real problem. It had hurt to find out that he’d been thought of last. They seemed stable. The relationship they had seemed solid. There was no doubt in his mind that Derek loved him. It’s just that sometimes he couldn’t help wondering how long that would last. What he was questioning wasn’t Derek loyalty it was his ability to hold onto his love.  
  
Why would Derek want to stay with him for the long haul? He could have anyone. Yes, it was true that Derek had been through some heartbreak. That didn’t change the fact that he was highly desirable. The morose tragic figure he made, actually worked to his benefit with some people. Despite his emotional baggage, most would swoon at the chance to be at Derek's side. What hope did he have in the face of those odds? The fact that Derek had been interested at all was astounding. Although he was sure it wasn’t intentional, this seeming afterthought seemed callous. He was struggling with it but given time he’d get over it. After the party it would be easier. Once it was no longer looming in the distance, he could push his pain down until it could be ignored. Until then he’d do his best to pretend that everything was fine. That’s what he’d do. He’d just pretend that nothing was wrong. It had worked before in the past. It would work again.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
When the front door came open, he looked over his shoulder with a smile. “Hey sexy, welcome home.” The greeting earned him a warm smile. “Hey yourself, handsome.” His smile turned smugly playful even as his gaze returned to the kitchen counter. In front of him was a wood cutting board. It held an assortment of vegetables, some of them cut up and a few of them still needing attention. Reaching out slightly, he picked up the previously abandoned knife. “How was your day?” The preceding hours had been busy enough that he hadn’t seen Derek since waking up this morning. “Productive.” There was a rustle near the table. It was followed by the other man coming to a stop at his back.  
  
He leaned into Derek’s chest when two arms tugged him close. A moment later, he tipped his head back enough to steal a sweet kiss. They pulled away soon after with a pleased murmur. Instead of being abandoned though, his boyfriend stayed where he was placing his chin on his shoulder. “What are we having? It smells good in here.” The way Derek complimented his cooking never got old. Despite the culinary prowess he’d developed over the years, it was rare that he cooked them any meals. He was still in school which meant that Derek took on the task. He’d argued about that at first. It wasn’t like he hadn’t cooked for his Dad for years. Not to mention the fact, that the later part of that time had been filled with seemingly never-ending terror. The effort needed was something he could handle.  
  
Despite his sound argument, Derek had persisted. There was no reason for him to make time when his lover had it in excess. He let it go, knowing that would leave him more time for his studies. When he did cook it was normally on the weekend or on Friday night. Although technically Friday was still a weekday, he counted it as the weekend anyway especially when Derek had a busy day. During any breaks from school it didn't really matter. When he was on vacation, the rules were different. At least, he liked to think so. “Salmon Stir Fry.” The answer got a pleased little hum that had him smiling. “I can’t wait.” A quick kiss landed on his cheek before Derek pulled away. “I’ll come back and help once I get this stuff put away.”  
  
He glanced to his left briefly, confirming that his boyfriend had returned to the table. There were several bags on its surface. At seeing the store names on the bags he frowned a little. If the bags were to be believed, at some point Derek had gone to the mall. He hated going to the mall. In truth he hated it so much, that they always went together. It was pretty much the only time his boyfriend would agree to step foot in the building. Trying to counter Derek's hatred for the place, he normally tried to make a day of it. He’d start off by getting them pretzels. It put the other man in a better mood automatically. With the toasty, flavorful bread in hand, they'd start shopping. The necessary stuff would be taken care of first. He'd try to make it as fun and as quick as possible.  
  
When they were done he’d drag them into Spencer’s and try to embarrass Derek with whatever he could find. They'd always finish their outing by getting some lunch in the food court. It was a tradition to get Chinese but on occasion they'd mix it up by going somewhere new. Feeling hesitant all of a sudden, he spoke up in a low tone. “You went to the mall?” Instead of meeting Derek’s eyes, his gaze flitted between the bags and his hands almost immobile resting on the cutting board. “Oh yeah. I needed to get some clothes. I know we normally go together but it was only a pit stop.” From the amount of bags on the table he didn’t think that was true. Actually fearing that he was right is what kept him from pursuing it further.  
  
“I’ve been running all over town all day. It’s been exhausting.” He nodded in a hope that the subject would be dropped. The sound of his boyfriend moving further into the loft was welcome. There was a little room off the main space that contained a laundry room. For what his hearing was telling him, that was the other man’s destination. It wasn’t surprising. Anything new found its way into the wash before being added into their wardrobe. This didn’t stop a part of him from wondering if Derek was hiding something. Feeling angry at himself for such petty thoughts, he refocused on cutting up the vegetables. If his motions were a touch aggressive it wasn’t like anyone was around to notice.  
  
TBC...


	2. Chapter 2

The next several minutes passed with him prepping their dinner. When he was rejoined by Derek, he knew that he’d needed more time alone. A hand slid over his lower back just before his boyfriend came to a stop at his side. “What can I do to help?” Normally he loved when they cooked together. Tonight was not one of those nights. Trying not to let on that he was upset, he sent a quick weak smile in the other man’s direction. “Nothing. I’ve got it covered.” The words produced a little frown and a wrinkle between Derek’s epic eyebrows. “Are you sure?” Not even missing a beat, he turned away to continue his preparations. “Yeah. I’m good. Why don’t you go take a load off? I’ll call you when it’s ready.”   
  
Instead of retreating, his boyfriend leaned a little closer. When he spoke a moment later, the voice that slid into his ears was playful. "If it's not ready yet there has to be _something_ I can do. Did you want me to open a jar?" The humor of the situation was not shared. He put the stirring spoon in his hand down on the counter. It was just shy of being slammed down onto the surface. At the same time, his body went ridged with his annoyance. “I’ve already told you, I’ve got it.” There was a pause as though the other man was feeling out the situation. Finally the hand on his back rubbed softly in a circle before his boyfriend continued in a purposefully light tone. “Okay, I’ll get out of your hair.”   
  
When he was finally left alone, he expected Derek to go into the living room. Instead some dishes were removed from a nearby cabinet. The annoyed squinted gaze he had on the werewolf earned him an explanation. “I’m going to set the table.” He just refrained from sighing. As much as he wanted Derek out of the space, actually kicking him out of the kitchen would raise too many questions. Thankfully setting the table only took a few minutes. When the task was complete, Derek did reluctantly retreat into the living room. Unfortunately, by that time dinner was almost done. He called the other man to the table once everything was ready and took a seat at what had become his customary place.   
  
They were sitting across from each other. Instead of engaging Derek in conversation, which was common, he kept his gaze downward on his plate. His appetite had fled with his foul mood. That didn’t mean he was about to leave the table. That would also raise far too many questions. Seeing as how he was essentially stuck there, he picked up his fork to push the food around aimlessly. “This looks delicious, Stiles.” He nodded slightly before sending Derek a quick upward glance. On its heels was a brief smile that left as soon as he looked back down. “Thanks.” When they lapsed into silence he was almost grateful. The only sounds came from Derek’s silverware slowly moving over his plate. “What’s wrong?”   
  
He shook his head. There was no point in talking about it. All it would do was emphasize how pathetic he was. “Stiles.” Looking up suddenly, he said something he’d wanted to say for days. “I’m not going to be able to go to that party coming up.” Actually saying it had a huge weight lifting off of his chest. It was hypocritical, he knew. The number of gatherings he’d drug Derek to couldn’t make it anything less. That didn’t change the fact that it felt good to say it. He’d never invited Derek to anything as an afterthought. Unintentional or not, he never would have hurt him that way. “What? Why not?” In his abrupt refusal an actual excuse had slipped his mind. Looking down to his plate, he pushed around a piece of Salmon distractedly. “I just can’t.”   
  
The soft clatter of silverware was enough warning to tell him Derek was going to speak. “What is this really about?” At the perfectly reasonable question, his hand tightened on his fork. It really ticked him off sometimes how calm Derek could be. When he was angry, he wanted an equal or greater reaction. He wanted to know that the person he was upset with was just as upset as he was. A hand reached across the table heading for his lightly curled fist. Without really thinking about it, he pulled it away from the impending touch. Looking up a moment later had a guilty feeling cresting in his chest. He’d gotten his wish. It’s just instead of looking angry Derek’s blank expression couldn’t hide the pain of his rejection.   
  
Throwing his fork down to the table, he ran a frustrated hand through his hair. “Look, I just don’t want to go.” On the heels of the pain in Derek’s gaze was a stubbornness he was painfully familiar with. “Why?” This could easily become an impasse. It was clear that his boyfriend wasn’t going to let this go. “Why did you go to the mall?” Immediately he could see that Derek was thrown by the supposedly abrupt change in topic. “What?” He ploughed on ahead, feeling heat rising in his cheeks. “Why did you go to the mall? You hate going there. Anytime we have to go, I practically have to bribe you to even get you in the jeep. So why? Why would you go there, of all places, to buy clothes?”   
  
Before Derek even spoke he could tell that he didn’t want to answer. “It was the only place I could get what I needed.” At the confirmation of his thoughts, all he felt was more anger. “I know where you buy your clothes. It’s not at the mall.” He paused only long enough to deepen his glare. “You were buying clothes for the party. That’s it, isn’t it?” The frustrated huff that Derek released made him feel foolish. “Yes. I was buying clothes for the party. Why is that such a big deal?” For a moment he debating getting up and leaving the table. He wanted the conversation to be over. The fact that Derek thought he was being ridiculous, that he’d been worried as much, didn’t help his motivation to stay in the conversation. It also didn’t help him to keep a hold on his temper.   
  
“Why is it such a big deal to you?! What is it about this stupid party that has you so invested? I have to practically beg you to go to the mall or to buy new clothes. Now out of nowhere, you go there voluntarily. You go there _without_ telling me. I don’t know who is throwing this thing or why we’re even going in the first place. That’s bad enough. Now you’re sneaking around, doing things that are normal but make me feel like I should be suspicious. I don’t like all the secrecy, Derek.” Not able to take it anymore, he abruptly got to his feet. His intention was to go toward their bed. He was feeling weary and wanted to lie down.   
  
The way Derek stepped into his path ended up stalling his retreat. Instead of touching him both of Derek’s hands were held up in a placating manner. “Hey, don’t run off, okay. Let’s talk about this.” There was a small pause before Derek spoke in soothing tones. “I’m not cheating on you. I’d never do that.” His response was rough and immediate. “I know.” Even as he said it though a smidgen of doubt wanted to fester. The feeling was pushed down a moment later. There was no way that Derek was cheating. He was too loyal. Suddenly he felt completely stupid. It slammed into him with the force of a sledgehammer. This was so unnecessary. What was he doing except being an idiot. He tipped his head further downward at feeling a stinging in his eyes.   
  
“Look, just forget I said anything okay. It doesn’t matter. I’m just being ridiculous.” The hands reached out then to gently settle on his upper arms. “You’re not being ridiculous. If you’re upset, that’s something I want to know.” At the gentle words, he felt tears escape to make a speedy path down his face. When a hand settled under his chin, using its touch to prompt him to look up, he gave in to the gentle prompting. The look on Derek’s face showed how genuinely upset he was at what was happening. It just had the tears building up more rapidly until his vision blurred. “I’m being secretive because I’m planning a surprise. Everything I’m doing, it’s all for you Stiles. I don’t need anyone else. I don’t want anyone else. I just want you.” There was the subtle shift of Derek’s thumb against his skin. It took everything he had not to lean into the touch. “Do you understand?”   
  
He found it hard to answer, his lips trembling on the single word. “Yes.” The nod he received seemed satisfied. “Good.” When he was gently puller closer, he went without comment. He allowed his body to fairly melt into Derek’s chest. In response the arms wrapped around him tightened a little. They stayed stationary for some time, him simply resting in Derek’s warm embrace. As he started to calm down though one thought came to the forefront of his mind. Instead of letting it go, like he should, he found himself speaking up. “Derek?” A kiss nuzzled its way onto the top of his head. “What is it baby?” For a moment he couldn’t seem to find the words. Instead of rushing him, Derek simply ran an encouraging hand in a stroke along his back.   
  
“Why did you invite me last?” Asking the question made him feel so incredibly small. Immediately he wanted to take it back. Unfortunately, that wasn’t possible. The hand paused for a second before it continued with a little more pressure. “I can’t tell you that yet. What I can promise you, is that there was a good reason. As soon as I can, I’ll explain. In the meantime, just know it doesn’t mean anything negative.” Despite the thoughts trying to drag him down, the reassurance had the tension bleeding out of his stiff muscles. For seemingly no reason, Derek spoke again before placing another kiss in his hair. “I love you Stiles.” He smiled a little despite how unsteady he felt. “I love you too.” The arms around him pulled him a little closer. “Why don’t we go lay down for a little while?”   
  
Instead of speaking, he simply nodded. When he was gently pulled toward the bed, he found himself grateful that Derek had felt the silent movement. They touched down softly in a tangle of limbs. After a little rearranging by Derek, both of them were settled comfortably. The gentle touches from before resumed without comment. He relaxed into his boyfriend’s hold, feeling truly content for the first time in too long. As he drifted off to sleep, all he could feel was grateful for this moment. They might not last. One too many tragedies or arguments might end what they had. Even if it did come to that, he’d be thankful for the time they did have. He’d be happy that he knew what this was like, that he knew how beautiful it was to be loved by Derek Hale.  
  
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The look in Derek’s eyes was intent and adoring. It had him keeping their gazes locked despite the strong desire to let his eyes close. One of his hands was cupping Derek’s face, his fingers brushing over the skin softly. His other hand was braced against his lover’s shoulder. It really wasn’t necessary. For the most part, his balance was being maintained by Derek’s hands on his hips. They were pressed close together. The minimal space only enough for their chests to rub together teasingly. Whenever he’d catch the hint of a nipple or his would be stimulated he found a little gasp escaping his lips. At the same time, his erection was a hot hard line pressing into Derek’s stomach.   
  
It leaked copiously at this point, making both of their hips damp with more than sweat. The hard hips he was straddling moved upward in steady little thrusts. He met their upward movement with slow thrusts downward. As he moved the muscles in his thighs shook. Although arousal played a big part in that, there was also an edge of fatigue that was responsible. The pull upward took some effort still but he let gravity do most of the work now. It brought him coming down again with more speed than he really felt like he could take. That was more arousing then it probably should be. The hands on his hips gripped him tightly but didn’t try to control his movements.   
  
He could tell it was taking Derek some effort to maintain control. Whenever he squeezed down on the thick erection buried deep, a little more of that control could be seen slipping away. The knowledge that he was doing that, that he was responsible for that, was arousing beyond reason. Where they were joined he felt overused and hot to the touch. There was a steadily building wetness on their skin that only grew as the minutes passed. It told him that Derek was leaking inside. At feeling it, all he wanted was more. The slight increase in his speed was immediately matched. This rougher motion had him losing the battle to keep his eyes open. As they slid shut, his hand left Derek’s face to grip their headboard.   
  
The bed set was also a new purchase. He’d come to quickly love it when realizing it made a great anchor. Even as his hand tightened around the top of the frame, the movement of his hips increased until he was panting lightly. In counter Derek sped up again. The spike of pleasure it caused had him crying out. He managed to pull his eyes open only to see Derek still staring at his face. At seeing the intense focus on him a little whimper escaped his lips. It had his lover leaning forward long enough to gently nip his chin. The look on Derek’s face softened slightly then allowing a little playfulness to emerge. “Do you want to come, baby?” He did, desperately. At the same time, that would bring this to an end. They’d been at it all day. You’d think he wouldn’t still be feeling so needy. “No.”   
  
The response got him an eyebrow lifted in surprise. Before any questions could follow, he continued with a little whine. “Yes.” And just like that the surprise on Derek’s face fell away. A smile followed that was fondly amused. The chuckle that accompanied the smile slid into this chest pleasantly. “Whatever you want baby.” In a smooth roll, he was placed on his back. This put them further down on the bed, more sideways then they’d been before. At his left side was the comforter they’d pushed aside earlier. It rubbed along his body pleasantly and made him want to bury his face in its softness. The first hard thrust when it came had his eyes rolling back in his head.   
  
He came back to himself only to realize he was now gripping Derek’s left hip hard. At the same time, his remaining hand was now twisting into the comforter brutally. There was also a sound. Well, not some much a sound but words spilling uncontrollably from his lips. “Yeah, yeah, come on, so good, yeah, please, please.” The look on Derek’s face was equal parts pleasure and a determined concentration that had his legs quivering. He arched his back feeling the need to be closer. As soon as the rigidity left his spine, his lover's hands pushed up both of his legs and held them down toward his torso. With the added support, he was able to fully relax back into the mattress. The position left him nearly folded in half.   
  
Although that could be awkward sometimes, right now he was too aroused to really care. A few thrusts in had him abandoning his handhold to grip his erection. He immediately started up a rough stroking. At the clearly desperate need to touch himself, Derek’s thrusting got more aggressive. The movement had him sliding along the fitted sheet. It took him inexorably closer to the edge of the mattress. When his head no longer had support, he allowed it to tip back easily. At this point his hand was flying over his cock and Derek was slamming into his hips. There was a part of him that knew they should stop. Although the position was comfortable now, he’d be hanging off the bed in a few seconds.   
  
The tension in his spread legs, his now wet erection, pretty much won out for his attention. If they ended up on the floor, he really didn’t care much at this point. It’s not like it would be the first time. They’d pretty much broken in the entire loft several times by now. He felt his blood rushing to his head a little, making him slightly dizzy as his shoulders edged off the bed. There was suddenly a new pressure against his swollen entrance. He lifted his head up enough to look down with a moan. Although he couldn’t see much in this position, the view he had was good enough to see the slight bulge forming at the base of Derek’s cock. Suddenly he wanted it so bad he could barely see straight.   
  
He let his head fall backward while simultaneously pressing his hips back with a wiggling motion. “Yes! Come on, Derek! Come on.” The thrusting stopped only for him to be abruptly yanked back up on the bed. It was enough to have him opening his eyes in a dazed manner. When he was met with blazing blue eyes he moaned a little. He couldn’t see if Derek’s fangs had sprouted but a second later he didn’t have to wonder. When his lover spoke his words came out slightly slurred hinting at a new obstruction. “Is this what you want?” The question was followed up with a dirty grind inward. It had the forming knot pressing inside and abruptly forcing his muscles to gape in order for it to escape.   
  
His hands which had stilled at all of the changes flew down. They clamped onto Derek’s backside, trying to pull him down while he in turn lifted his hips up. “Yes. Uhhh please. I want it…want you honey.” The space between them seemed to disappear in an instant. One second Derek was leaning over his chest and the next they were pressed bodily together. In the movement his legs had been pushed outward into a more splayed position. He quickly wrapped them around his lover’s waist, wanting the additional contact. An arm wrapped around his waist, essentially giving his lower back any needed support. The other arm positioned itself to the right of his face. It went past his head to allow Derek to grip the mattress.   
  
He knew without asking that it was a move to help keep them on the bed. For his own part, both of his arms wrapped around Derek’s back. They were close enough for their breath to mingle, so it didn’t surprise him when his boyfriend leaned in for a kiss. It had barely started when Derek started to thrust. He moaned at how huge he felt, how deeply he seemed to press inside. The knot felt huge which was a little distressing as he knew it wasn’t even fully formed. With each thrust inward the kiss got sloppier, the heat between them increased and their desperation ratcheted higher. At the same time, the movement of Derek’s hips got less smooth with the knot continuing to form. It got to the point quickly where each press inward took effort and each pull outward felt like it was too much. With a cry he tore his mouth away.   
  
Instead of following his retreat, his lover tipped his head upward to breathe deeply. This was telling as normally an abrupt end to a kiss had Derek nuzzling into his skin. After another two thrusts, Derek’s head tipped downward and a grimace slid onto his face. The line of his jaw became pronounced as he clenched his teeth. He didn’t have to wonder at the expression. A second after this look emerged, the knot pressed into him with some difficulty and he quickly found it locking them together. It seemed sudden, he just wasn’t sure why. Almost the second the knot had fully formed, a flood of warmth pressed deeply inside.   
  
The feeling of the knot being stuck inside, of Derek tugging against his swollen muscles, had him squeezing down harshly. He let himself feel the shape of it, of Derek’s pulsing engorged erection as though it was for the first time. As he did this his thighs tightened as though they had a hope of closing. His small movements had a high pitched noise sliding past Derek’s lips. All of it was more than enough to throw him violently over the edge. With an arch, he threw back his head and cried out in ecstasy. The tension in his muscles grew only for him to feel like he was going to shake apart. His hands which had been gripping Derek’s defined muscles were now digging into the skin.   
  
As soon as he released the strength he was using, he shakily forced the tension in his hands to dissipate. There was a new sheen of sweat on his skin. It left him feeling too hot, left him aware momentarily of the pronounced wetness on his upper lip. In-between their damp bodies, he could feel his sensitive erection steadily pumping out his release. The liquid pooled on his stomach only to escape in warm trails down his sides. There wasn’t an increase in the dampness between his legs, at least not yet anyway. For the moment, the knot was holding it all inside but the minute it was pulled out that would change.   
  
He could practically feel it already, the way the come would rush out and quickly coat his sensitive skin. It would form a puddle under him on the damp sheets. As he tried to recover from the exit, his gaping muscles would try to flutter closed. This would only result in more come pushing out to join the mess between his legs. The thought of it had a whimpering moan slipping past his lips. Almost as if in answer a gush of come pressed inside. There was a soft nuzzle against his face before tired lips found his in a gentle kiss. He pressed back as best as he could with the little energy he had. They only kissed for a few seconds before Derek pulled away entirely.  
  
TBC...  



	3. Chapter 3

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The retreat found Derek slumping down and burying his face into the crook of his neck. All he did for long minutes was pant heavily. Eventually his boyfriend leaned up again to deliver another kiss. This one lasted a lot longer as they both seemed to be calming down. When it did come to an end, a hand slid over his face. The touch had him momentarily closing his eyes. “I hope that wasn’t too soon. I tried to last as long as I could.” At the little bit of worry, he hummed in a way that showed it wasn’t justified. “It was perfect.” He sent Derek a small sweet smile. “You’re perfect.” The chuckle that earned him was followed up by a small kiss. It ended with Derek resuming his gentle touch. “Can I get that in writing?”   
  
Turning his head a little, he kissed the palm of his boyfriend’s hand. “You wish.” That had Derek laughing outright. A moment later he barked out a laugh when his lover quickly leaned down to playfully growl into his neck. It tickled. This was something that Derek knew and often used to his advantage. When it went on for several seconds, he quickly patted at his boyfriend’s back with wheezing breaths. “Enough. I’m dying here.” Instead of calling him out on the over-exaggeration, his lover only leaned back with a smile. At seeing such a soft look on Derek’s face, he couldn’t resist pulling him down for another kiss. The heat in it remained tempered even as it lingered.   
  
As they kissed both of his lover’s arms wrapped around him to pull him close. He wrapped around Derek as much as he could. The light in the room was fading with the onset of early evening. They’d been together all day. When they were able to separate, they’d probably rest and be intimate at least one more time. Even then it didn’t seem like enough. He’d heard of the ‘Honeymoon Stage’ before. They were past that. This wasn’t what this was. It was just a deep desire to be with someone he loved more than he’d ever thought possible. Was it even possible for the time they had to ever be enough? He wasn’t sure. There was a part of him though that didn’t think it was. It had grown in the years he’d watched his Dad suffer. All he could do was appreciate the time they did have.   
  
What was a lifetime, what was a moment? All of it was fleeting and all of it was too fast. The good things never seemed to stay. That wasn’t true. He knew it wasn’t. It’s just that sometimes, in his darkest moments, it felt like it was. In the end, what reminded him it wasn’t true was something seemingly simple. It was the memory of his Mom. They’d lost her. It felt like ages ago sometimes, like they’d been forced to live centuries in a new changed world. A place that was dim compared to what they’d know before. Yet through all the pain there had been a constant. She was loved. No matter how much time had passed, no matter the changes, they loved her still.   
  
It was a sometimes harsh reminder that love was the one thing that did stay. That didn’t always translate to a relationship or friendship or even family. There were people who were truly alone, who had never known an ounce of human kindness. It was no wonder most of them were lost. For those who did love someone, anyone, they at least had something to hold onto. It stayed. Long after they’d gone, until the last memory of them faded, they’d left an indelible mark on someone’s life. All he could hope was that he’d done the same for Derek. That in the end, the memory of him would stay.  
  
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He walked into the room feeling a little nervous. A quick upward glance had his insecurities falling away. In two quick strides, Derek was standing in front of him looking awed. “You look amazing.” The compliment helped him to feel a little more comfortable. In a weird role reversal, Derek had dressed him for the party. He’d been surprised when he’d opened the garment bag in the bathroom. Apparently the party they were going to was fancy. What he’d expected was a dress shirt and a nice pair of jeans. What he’d found was not what he was expecting. The garment bag had contained two items, a tailored double-breasted suit in navy blue and a deep green dress shirt.   
  
To say he’d been surprised was an understatement. They never want to parties or anywhere really this upper crust. Unsurprisingly when he put on the suit it fit like a glove. He hadn’t been sure if Derek had pilfered some of his clothes or if he’d given a tailor his measurements by memory. Considering most of his clothes hung off of his frame, the latter seemed more likely. The thought had his cheeks flaming while he finished dressing. Once he was done, he’d run his hands lightly over the material. It was slick almost soft to the touch. He quickly realized the quality of the garments. There was no doubt in his mind that they were expensive. Now standing in the living room, he felt a little embarrassed. This seemed like a lot of trouble.   
  
“Stiles?” At realizing he hadn’t said anything he sent Derek a smile. “Sorry. I drifted there for a minute. Thanks. I uh…feel overdressed. I’m probably wrong. This just feels like too much effort.” The smile Derek sent him was affectionate. “When it comes to you there’s no such thing.” He absolutely knew what Derek meant and it was incredibly sweet. Still, that was an opening he couldn’t resist. “I feel like I should be insulted.” A kiss landed on his cheek before his boyfriend passed him to head to the bathroom. “Your shoes are on the coffee table.” With a little grin he headed in that direction. He plopped down on the couch, opening the lid of the waiting shoe box. It contained two shiny black dress shoes and a pair of neatly folded black socks. Surprise, surprise the shoes were a perfect fit.   
  
Now that he was ready, he leaned back into the couch to wait. That only lasted for about a minute before he grabbed for the remote. He couldn’t sit in silence with this party hanging over his head. After a few minutes he settled on watching a re-run of NCIS. In his effort to find something he’d already seen, he’d bypassed an episode of Supernatural. It had him lamenting its absence in his life. He used to love the show but now it created a sense of Déjà vu. That more than most things told him how messed up his life had become. “Are you ready?” The question had him turning off the TV and moving to walk around the back of the couch. When he eventually looked up he paused. His jaw dropped as he took in Derek.   
  
After getting cleaned up, his boyfriend had also dressed in a suit. Unlike the one he wore, it was a single breasted suit in a charcoal gray. The shirt he wore was a deep red. It was complimented by a deep gray tie with a rectangular slanted design embedded in the fabric. He looked _gorgeous_. “Stiles?” At the question, he tried to express what he was thinking. “You look…I mean…uh that’s to say…just you…” The amused smile on the other man’s face couldn’t even bring him back from the brink. “I take it I look okay?” He wanted to snort in amusement at the absurdity of the statement. Or you know, go get a mirror and put it directly in front of Derek. “You look…wow. That pretty much says it all. I can’t…I got nothin’.”   
  
The chuckle that emerged from his boyfriend left him feeling pleasantly warm. When a kiss followed he fairly melted in contentment. “Thank you for the compliment. I’m almost ready.” He nodded easily, watching as Derek put on his shoes. When it was clear he was done, he thought they’d leave, so it was a little surprising when Derek went to his dresser. The silent signal to come closer was equally surprising. He walked over slowly, coming to a stop close by. “I’d like you to wear these tonight.” Any question of what his boyfriend meant was answered when he opened his palm. Resting there was a set of cufflinks. He’d never seen them before. In a silent show of acceptance, he held out his right wrist.   
  
The small circular cufflink was expertly maneuvered into place. It was as this was being done that Derek continued in a nostalgic tone. “They were my fathers.” Immediately his breath caught. A moment later his heart started to race. “I don’t think this is a good idea Derek. What if I lose one?” The valid concern was brushed aside as though it was nothing. “It won’t matter.” He wanted to argue further. When a kiss landed on the back of his hand, the delay in his response was enough for Derek to continue uninterrupted. “I want you to wear them. Whatever happens, happens.” Despite the reassurance, he couldn’t help frowning. “You don’t mean that.” They fell into a brief silence, one of his lover’s fingers fiddling with the attached cufflink.   
  
When their gazes reconnected he was sent a gentle smile. “It’s important to me but not as important as you. The fire took everything. I don’t place value on things anymore. Seeing you wear them will make me happy.” At the reminder of the fire, his eyebrows pinched together with his sympathy. He leaned forward to give Derek a comforting kiss. When he pulled away a moment later the smile on his face was full of understanding. “In that case, I’d be honored.” After being given another smile in return, his boyfriend attached the second cufflink. Now that they were in place, he looked more closely at them for the first time. They were round with a Triskelion in the center. The symbol was black, overlaid with the outline of a capital ‘H’ in an elegant font.   
  
If he had to guess, they were made of silver. They had a weight to them that felt expensive. Truthfully, it didn't matter. The elegant adornments could have been made of tin and he would have worn them with the same reverence. The fact that Derek wanted him to wear them would be enough. With that now done, they both grabbed their watches. He’d gone for his everyday watch at first only to be reminded of the nice one Derek had gifted him last year. It had of course been swapped out for its beat up competitor. They left once that was done, making their way downstairs to the parking lot. He didn’t say anything when Derek held open the door of his Camaro. The gesture wasn’t all that uncommon, although his boyfriend did try to refrain from it in mixed company. It could draw attention which neither of them liked.   
  
Soon after they got on the road, heading toward parts unknown, at least on his part. He tried to think positively. If nothing else, arriving at the party meant it’d be over all the more quickly. The drive was pleasant if a little short. That didn’t surprise him in the slightest. Unless they were going into the next county, Beacon Hills was a small town. There wasn’t much ground to cover. They pulled up to a big building he didn’t recognize. The car was parked only for Derek to prompt him to wait. At having his door opened, he raised an eyebrow but said nothing. They walked through the parking lot in a companionable silence. As they walked he spotted several cars he recognized. Considering the pack was invited this wasn’t a surprise.   
  
Once they got to the entrance, Derek held open the door again. This wasn’t as uncommon so he went inside with a small smile of thanks. The words that would normally follow didn’t manifest as he got a look around the room. It was beautiful. This wasn’t a byproduct of the decorations. As it turns out, the room itself was stunning. For one thing it was large. The high ceilings were framed by an antique crown molding. Whereas the ceiling was white, the crown molding and the walls were a deep wood that he believed was natural. The walls themselves had small inlets all around the room and at strategically placed intervals were antique wall sconces. In the very center of the ceiling was a huge crystal chandelier that looked like it could dwarf their living room.   
  
Directly in front of his line of sight was a slightly raised platform. It was clearly a stage. This was only emphasized by the string quartet assembled that was playing some soft melody he vaguely recognized. To his right were a cluster of round tables. They were draped in thick elegant white tablecloths. The chairs surrounding them were a light tan with an antique design inlaid in gold stitching. On the tables were tiered plates featuring a partially hidden geometric pattern. In dual neat little rows, gleaming silverware bracketed the plates. To the upper right of the tiered plates were wine glasses. They shined almost more brilliantly than the silverware. At the center of each table there where vases filled to bursting with roses.   
  
To his left was a long table that was currently empty. He could tell from the equipment present though that it would be for a buffet. The heavily diamonded patterned floor that formed a wide swath in front of him was empty. It led him to believe it had been designated for dancing. As he looked around, his mind cataloged the people present. All of the pack had already arrived. It had expanded a little in recent years but it still wasn’t enough to crowd the space. Not only that, there were a few people present he didn’t expect to see. Standing off to his right was Chris Argent. He was talking to Isaac of all people. It had been years since Isaac had last been in Beacon Hills.   
  
A little further into the room, he spotted Jackson and Ethan speaking to Lydia. He also saw tentative pack allies scattered about. They were friends if not pack. When he saw Deaton he did a double take. The emissary _never_ came to these things. Feeling a little dumbfounded, he looked back in Derek’s direction. “This is…what is this?” At the question, Derek gave him a sweet smile and a kiss before walking off without comment. He watched him go amazingly toward the stage. When he got there a low murmur had the musicians falling silent. The new quiet got everyone’s attention. Apparently it was just in time because Derek went to the microphone.   
  
He looked on feeling rampant confusion. Although his boyfriend’s expression looked severe, he could easily spot the nervousness under the fierce exterior. It was clear to him that standing up in front of everyone was making the werewolf a little self-conscious. When he spoke it came out somewhat stilted. “Hello. Thank you all for coming. I know you have a lot of questions. The next few minutes should answer most of them.” There was a pause then as though Derek was fortifying his nerves. “I’m the one throwing this party.” Although that should seem fairly obvious, he still couldn’t help the shock that flew through his body. From the quiet murmurs of the pack he wasn’t alone. “I wanted you all here tonight for a very specific reason.”   
  
It was at this point that Derek paused as though he wasn’t sure how to proceed. The silence stretched on uncomfortably. He could hear low murmurs start to move through the crowd but thankfully no one tried to rush Derek into action. Finally the delay got to Derek as well. “I uh…” The non sequitur was followed by his boyfriend looking toward the musicians. “Do you have…?” Whatever it was apparently the answer was a yes. The microphone was replaced with a little bit of feedback that had most of the werewolves wincing. Turning his back on the crowd, Derek faced the musician he’d spoken to. It was a tall older man with broad shoulders. He didn’t recognize him at all. This made it all the weirder when he stood _really_ close to Derek.   
  
There was another moment of this before a muffled sound came over the speaker. With that, Derek turned back around. “Can everyone hear me?” The question echoed through the room. Suddenly the last few seconds made a lot more sense. There was now a body mic attached to Derek’s lapel. When the crowd confirmed he could be heard, Derek left the stage to head in his direction. He came to a stop when they were only a few inches apart. The hand that gently captured his had him looking down briefly with surprise. As soon as their gazes reconnected, he was sent a warm comforting smile. “I told you, I was planning a surprise for you when we spoke last week. That wasn’t exactly true.”   
  
His eyebrows pinched together at the words. A split second later a thumb slid over his hand in comfort. “This party isn’t for you, Stiles. I’m hoping it’s going to be for us.” The words confused him but he didn’t interrupt. Whatever this was, he could tell it was hard for Derek to have an audience. “I love you, Stiles. I've tried to tell you that as much as I can. I know how important it is for you to understand how I feel but I wonder sometimes if you really know what you mean to me. I’ve never felt this way before. I was broken for a very long time. I didn't think I'd ever feel whole again and then you did the impossible. You healed me. I went from being numb all the time to feeling things so strongly it hurt. I didn't know how to handle it at first but you've never been anything except patient.   
  
After meeting you, it didn't take me long to realize I wasn't really living. I was just existing. That’s what you’ve done for me. You’re smart, funny, compassionate and _beautiful_ in so many ways. I wonder sometimes what I could have done to deserve you. I know I don’t. I’m just so lucky that you came into my life. I think about that day in the woods a lot. You were far too young then for us and I was far too damaged. Still, I think about it because I know that was the turning point. I’m hoping that this can be another one.” It was here that Derek fell to one knee. He felt the breath catch in his lungs at the implication. “Will you Mieczyslaw Stilinski, Stiles, do me the honor of being my husband?”   
  
The room fell into a hushed silence as Derek waited for his answer. Surprisingly the first thing that came to his mind was that Derek had pronounced his name right. It created a bloom of warmth in his chest when he thought of Derek practicing his pronunciation. The fact that he’d taken the time to do even that let alone all of this was so unbelievable. There was a buildup of tears in his eyes that he couldn’t seem to control. When twin trails streaked down his cheeks, his answer fell without thought from his trembling lips. “Yes.” The second the small single word was out Derek sent him a sunny smile. It was the one he rarely let loose because it was only seen when he was truly happy.   
  
In a quick movement, Derek was on his feet and wrapping him in a tight embrace. There was a thunderous noise in his ears. It took long minutes for him to register it was the pack. The way they were clapping and cheering you’d think they’d just saved the world again. Feeling a little overwhelmed, he pulled back enough to meet Derek’s gaze. “Are you sure? I mean because I know I drive you crazy. I talk too much. I get on your nerves. I leave my stuff all over the loft when I study. I mean you’ve tripped on a highlighter twice. Who does that? Is this what you really want…because it’s…” The ramble he’d fallen into died off slightly as he’d thought of all he’d said. He was being too convincing. Why did he need to bring this stuff up?   
  
As much as it hurt to think of Derek wanting to back out, he’d rather know now before they got in any deeper. If they got married it would be too late. He could request a divorce but Derek would be stuck. Wolves mated for life. It was a trait shared by werewolves. This was truly a lifetime commitment. “Are you sure you want to be with me forever?” He held his breath, half afraid of the answer. “I’m sure.” The response was delivered without the slightest hesitation, the look on Derek’s face mired in sincerity. With a relieved exhale of breath, he leaned forward to give Derek a kiss to end all kisses. They kept it clean considering the audience but his knees still went a little weak. That was alright though because Derek was keeping him close. A little tremble went through him when he realized now he always would.  
  
TBC...


	4. Chapter 4

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Closing his eyes, he tipped his head back and breathed in deeply. The air was cool enough to be refreshing even with an undertone of warmth. “Did you need a break?” At the question, he opened his eyes before looking to his left. He smiled at seeing Stiles a few feet away. When he held out a hand, his lover moved close enough for them to join hands. “A little fresh air sounded nice.” After he’d popped the question, things had erupted into a controlled sort of chaos. They’d pulled apart only to be surrounded by happy pack members. The first person to take Stiles into a hug had been his Dad. Almost the second he’d relinquished his grip, the Sheriff had a crushing hold on his son. They’d both looked a little teary-eyed. This only became more pronounced as they whispered in each other’s ears about their mutual happiness.   
  
He hadn’t been worried about the Sheriff’s reaction, at least not today. The only person who’d known his plans would now be his father-in-law. At the start of this, long before any plans were made, he’d spoken to Noah in private. He’d gone to ask him for permission to marry Stiles. To most in his generation it would seem old-fashioned but his family had always believed in tradition. In an effort to avoid Stiles finding out, they’d met at the Sheriff’s station. Needless to say it had been a little intimidating. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been nervous enough to prompt a visceral reaction. After he’d asked they’d fallen into a silence that seemed considering. It was easily one of the worst two minutes of his life.   
  
When instead of speaking, the Sheriff had gotten to his feet to move closer he tensed. The hand that had landed on his shoulder felt like a lead weight. It was the warm smile, however, that had everything suddenly feeling lighter. He’d gotten the blessing he’d wanted so badly. Not only that, he’d been reassured that Noah was happy about the proposal. There had been a marked difference in his son lately and he knew that their relationship was the cause. The conversation had ended with Noah saying he’d welcome him as another son. He’d left feeling a little dazed. What he’d hoped for was a blessing, what he’d gotten was an offer of family. It had hurt a little, in a good way, the thought of having a Dad again.   
  
When the time had come to plan the party, Noah had become his sole confidant. If he needed help with anything, all he’d had to do was call. The extra support had gone a long way. He had plans to let the whole pack know that at the first available opportunity. The rest of the pack had been kept in the dark for one simple reason; his fiancée was far too good at being a detective. It was a literal lifesaver during a crisis but it made surprising him nearly impossible. What he hadn’t expected was the hurt it would cause. He was just grateful that Stiles trusted him enough to give him the benefit of the doubt. The first person to approach him was Cora. There was a look on her face as though the invitation had finally made sense.   
  
He’d called her up, asking for a visit. At first she’d declined. The timing wasn’t great for her to leave her tentative pack. When he’d insisted that he was really missing her that changed her mind. Now he knew that she understood and he was happy that she’d taken the time to be there. He was given a rough brief hug before she’d withdrawn with a little smile. The congratulatory words that followed held a sincerity that his sister rarely used. They only just parted when he was seized by Noah in a tight hug. It didn’t last as long as it did with Stiles, the two of them separating to talk happily but it was just as warm. The next person to approach him was Scott.   
  
Any nervousness he had at the younger man’s reaction had quickly vanished. There was a huge smile on Scott’s face and the one armed hug he got was overly friendly. With the exception of Noah, he’d been the most worried about Scott’s reaction. When he’d first started dating Stiles it had been clear he wasn’t pleased. Things were so strained at first that he’d worried their tentative friendship would end. It was after a long talk with Stiles that things had gotten better. To this day he didn’t know what Stiles had said. All he knew was that it had turned things around. One of these days he might ask. Considering his previous reaction, he’d been understandably nervous about Scott’s reaction to an engagement. What he’d gotten was actually better than he’d expected.   
  
From there, the rest of the pack had showered him with equally warm wishes. For the first time, in a long time, he felt like he actually belonged. One of the people he appreciated seeing the most, was Isaac. He was his only surviving beta. It was hard not to see him every day. Although he knew it wasn't the same, he equated the feeling to being a bit like a parent who had a child who never calls. They hadn’t been a true pack. The time to foster deep bonds was something they’d never really gotten. That didn’t meant he hadn’t cared about all of them. Truthfully, he’d cared more than his damaged psyche would really allow him to admit. When he’d called him up in France he hadn’t really expected him to come.   
  
The fact that this wasn’t an emergency left him feeling doubtful. He did tell him it was an important celebration and he’d consider it a personal favor if he’d come. At hearing from Chris that he’d be visiting, a warm feeling had settled into his chest that was hard to describe. When he was approached by Isaac, he’d expected a hand shake. What he got instead was a hug, a warm smile and a hope for happier days. There was a look on Isaac’s face that said he thought they’d finally made it. After all of the bad stuff they were finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. The throng of people had pretty much dissipated when Peter approached. He’d been given an aloof, slightly analyzing look before his Uncle had spoken in a bored tone.   
  
What he’d said was, ‘It’s about time. It took you long enough.’ The words were followed up with a playful push to his shoulder, a tiny smile ticking up the corner of Peter’s mouth. In a warmer tone he’d then proceeded to tell him that he’d done well before wandering off to harass Scott. Once everyone had been given the chance to talk to them, the food had been brought out. The catered meal was enough to feed an army. Considering the party primarily consisted of werewolves it was probably a good thing. He’d made a quick stop to drop off the mic before grabbing a plate. After his proposal it had been turned off but he had no desire to tempt fate. It could get turned back on. The conversations he often had with Stiles were definitely not meant for public consumption.   
  
When he settled down at his fiancé’ side at a table, he wasn’t surprised to hear wedding plans well under way. Of the four women at the table, only Lydia and Kira were actively talking about it. The conversation had Melissa leaning closer, adding her two cents on occasion but more focused on her food. Next to her side was Chris who only smiled on in amusement. Despite the cover of the table, he could tell that Chris was stroking Melissa’s lower back absentmindedly. In counter to the other women’s interest, Malia just seemed confused. He had no doubt that given some time she’d get a thorough education on all things wedding. When she quickly grew bored with the conversation, she turned to Noah to start up a conversation.   
  
What was probably the funniest thing of all though was the look of horror on Scott’s face. Whether it was the thought of being roped into the planning or the impending wedding giving Kira ideas he wasn’t sure. All he knew was that it was hilarious. The look on Stiles’ face had clearly said, ‘It’ll be okay buddy’ which had only made it harder not to outright laugh. When they were done eating a sort of swap had taken place. The string quartet had finished up only for a DJ to set-up. At the same time, the champagne had now been mostly replaced with an open bar. What had been an elegant venue was now a dark glittering club thumping heavily with base. Needless to say the young pack was having a blast.   
  
He was glad they were having a great time. It was just nice to give his ears a small break. A few steps brought Stiles a little closer. He easily went with the movement, pulling his lover into his chest. The new position had Stiles’ tipping his head back to comfortably rest on his shoulder. Although they couldn’t make eye contact, his fiancé’s face was still turned in his direction. “I can’t believe you planned all of this. It’s been the perfect engagement party.” He felt a swell of pride go through him at knowing that Stiles was pleased. “I did have a little help from your Dad.” There was a tiny noise of surprise at his words. “My Dad knew about this?” The arms he had around his lover’s waist tightened. He did it for no other reason than simply wanting him close.   
  
“Yeah, he was the only one. I was worried you’d find out my plans if anyone else knew. That was actually the reason you were invited last. I needed to make sure everyone could be here before giving you a date.” It felt good to get that out in the open. When he realized that was causing Stiles pain, it had been hard not to say something at the time. If the date of the party hadn’t been so close, he didn’t think he would have been able to stay silent. It had been a special kind of torture to see his boyfriend so upset, especially about something that should be a joyous occasion. In a move meant to comfort them both, he gently stroked over Stiles’ hip. When he continued speaking, his voice was a touch wistful. “I wanted to ask him for your hand before setting things in motion.”   
  
There was a small jerk in his direction as though Stiles was trying to meet his gaze. “You didn’t." He huffed a little at the amusement he could hear in the other man’s voice. “I come from a traditional family.” The chuckle that slid out of Stiles’ throat reverberated through his chest. “You do realize I’m not a girl and this isn’t a Jane Austin novel.” Deciding to give a little back, he let some surprise filter into his voice. “You’re not a girl? I didn’t realize.” The elbow that was thrown into his ribs didn’t actually hurt. He made a put upon noise anyway just to give Stiles a hard time. “Watch it pal.” Leaning down slightly, he nuzzled into his lover’s throat. “I’ll watch you.” The chuckle that followed from Stiles was edging toward a laugh. “That sounds a lot dirtier than I think you meant it too.”   
  
Although that was true, he wasn’t about to say as much. “You can think that if it makes you feel better.” A hand reached out then to land lightly on his hip. “If you’re not careful big guy, we might just need to leave this party early. I’d hate to see all of your planning go to waste.” The nuzzling turned to kissing which in turn had his lover’s head tipping back. When he spoke a moment later his words were hushed as he continued to kiss the soft skin. “We’ve made an appearance. I doubt we’ll be missed.” The little laugh that emerged from Stiles sounded soft. “I think this time around that’s just wishful thinking.” He gave a murmur of noncommittal. A hand slid down his arm softly but otherwise his lover didn’t move. Taking that as an invitation, he continued to lavish the elegant neck.   
  
When long minutes later Stiles did pull away slightly it was a little disappointing. The feeling thankfully didn’t last because the movement had them face to face. He wrapped his arms around Stiles’ waist even as two arms loosely settled around his shoulders. They looked at each other softly for a few minutes not saying anything. A small gentle smile was sent his way before Stiles leaned in to draw him into a kiss. When the kiss ended a few minutes later, a hand landed lightly on his face. “I can’t believe that you want this. That you want me. I…” His eyebrows pinched together at the insecurity he could see in his lover’s gaze. The words of reassurance on his tongue didn’t make it out before Stiles continued.   
  
There was a glassy quality to Stiles’ beautiful eyes that hadn’t been there before. “You make me so happy, Derek. That’s what I want. I want to make you happy.” He made sure that his expression was open, that it radiated sincerity. “You already do.” The doubt that surfaced in Stiles’ expression made his heart hurt. “Really?” Without pause he nodded easily, leaning forward to deliver a soft peck of a kiss. “Yes. You make me happier than I thought possible. I can’t imagine my life without you Stiles. I don’t want to.” As though exhausted suddenly, Stiles leaned down to curl around his shoulders. “This doesn’t seem real. I feel like I’m going to wake up and realize I’m still alone. That frightens me, Derek. It shouldn’t but it does.”   
  
Immediately he started up a gentle stroking down his lover’s back. “It’s okay. I understand. I know what that feels like but you don’t have to be afraid anymore. I won’t ever leave you, not by my choice.” This feeling was one he knew too well. It was easy sometimes to forget what Stiles had been through. The loss of his Mom was rarely talked about but he knew it was still a raw gaping wound. They didn’t talk about her, either Stiles or Noah. He had a feeling it would be a long time before that would happen. That didn’t stop the loss from coloring other areas of the younger man’s life. Unfortunately that was also something he was familiar with. All you could do was your best.   
  
He didn’t emphasize all the ways they could lose each other. The pack still faced dangerous situations frequently. One or both of them could die. At the same time, nothing in life was guaranteed. There could just as easily be an accident. What he could say though, was that he’d be there of his own choice. That he could promise and that’s what he’d focus on. “You don’t ever have to worry about that either. I promise.” The unprompted declaration had tears springing to his eyes. He tried to blink them away but they only built up stronger. Apparently some part of him had needed to hear that too. Trying to get a hold of his emotions was proving to be difficult but he pushed out a response not wanting Stiles to worry. “Good.”   
  
The single word was croaked out. It also didn’t feel like enough. Regardless, it was the best he could do verbally. Not wanting to leave it at just that, he leaned down to more fully wrap Stiles in his embrace. They stayed like that for a long time, holding onto one another tightly. When they both seemed to finally be calm, he spoke in a low soft tone. “Do you want to go back inside?” There was a moment’s pause, in seeming consideration before Stiles responded in an equally soft voice. “Let’s stay out here a little longer.”   
  
His answer was easy and immediate. “I’d like that.” They fell back into silence then simply holding onto one another. A soft breeze tugged at them, filled with the warm scents of cool summer evening. High above the Waxing Gibbous moon bathed them in its eerily beautiful light. In the distance was the low thump of music and the sound of merriment. It was the pack, their friends and family. As perfect as this night had turned out it was only the start of something wondrous. That in itself was amazing. They were just starting and he absolutely couldn’t wait.  
  
The End


End file.
